Dealing with the aftermath of a home burglary can be tough. Each year, millions of home burglaries occur. In over 32 percent of the home burglaries in the United States, thieves use either an unlocked door or a door with a broken lock to gain access to the residence. Most homeowners fail to realize that exterior door locks need repair and maintenance over time.

Failing to provide these locks with the care they need can lead to them malfunctioning when they are needed the most. Working with experienced door lock professionals is the best way to either fix your existing door locks or replace them with a more modern door lock option. The following are some of the most common door lock issues and what can be done to resolve them.

1. A Faulty Door Mechanism Can Cause Problems

Most homeowners use the locks on their doors daily. Locking and unlocking these mechanisms can create a lot of wear over time. Excessively using the locks on your exterior doors can result in the various mechanisms it contains getting damaged. The main thing you need to do to avoid problems with faulty door mechanisms is to test your locks on a regular basis.

If you notice your door locks hanging up during these tests, you need to fix these problems immediately. Instead of trying to take the door lock apart on your own, contact an experienced locksmith for help. These professionals will have the knowledge and experience needed to pinpoint the cause of the door lock issues you are experiencing. Once they look at the locks, they will be able to let you know whether they can be fixed or if they will need to be replaced.

2. Check For a Misaligned Door Latch

If an exterior door is not shut properly, the lock it has will not be able to engage fully. In most cases, this improper shutting will be caused by either a faulty latch or a misaligned striker plate. As time goes by, the striker plate on your door may become bent. This bending and warping can result in problems when trying to lock the door.

In some cases, you can fix this problem by replacing the existing striker plate or deepening the plate. However, there are situations when this problem is irreparable. Allowing a locksmith to inspect your striker plate and latch will help you figure out how to properly address the problems you are facing.

3. Issues with the Key Getting Stuck in the Lock

Getting your key stuck in a door lock can be stressful. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in this situation is trying to force the key to turn. Generally, this mistake will lead to the key breaking off inside of the lock. Rather than making matters worse by making this mistake, you need to call in a locksmith to figure out a solution to the problem at hand.

Looking For New Door Locks?

Are you in the market for state-of-the-art door locks? If so, contact the professionals at Lock Connection, LLC to find out how we can help.